Massolino Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva Etichetta Nera 2016
Region: Barolo, Piedmont
Variety: Nebbiolo
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2016
The Wine
A milestone vintage for a legendary Barolo
2016 marked the 35th release of Massolino’s Vigna Rionda—a wine long revered, yet never more profound than in this vintage. To honour its stature, Massolino introduced a new all-black label, reserved only for the finest years. Fermented naturally in large oak tini and aged 36 months in Stockinger botti, this is Vigna Rionda at its most complete: layered, powerful and deeply finessed. A benchmark release from a benchmark site.. The result is a darker, more structured expression of the cru, with savoury weight and complexity.
Cellared says
Rich and powerful, yet refined. This 2016 Riserva is dense, heavy dark fruited, herbal, and poised icon wine in the making. Super structured, yet perfectly balanced to evolve longer in cellar. A long term cellar addition this one.
Wine Reviews
"Tasting this Vigna Rionda is such a sensual experience, with the complexity you’d expect from the top-level Barolo, showing hints of iodine, dark mussels, walnuts, dark stones to the fleshy dark cherries and plums. Then it turns a little “bloody,” minty and tarry on the nose. “Dark” and full-bodied with a massive amount of small-grained tannins seamlessly knitting the fruit on the palate, driving it to a very long, mineral finish. Very tight and powerful now, yet seductively rich and full of flesh, too. Shows lots of potential ahead. Much better from 2025. It should hold well for the next 20+ years."
97 points, jamessuckling.com
“Packaged with a special black label, the Massolino 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is only released in the best vintages. Showing the power and the determination of Serralunga d'Alba, the wine is redolent of dried berry, lots of rusty earth and fragrant red rose. These are the typical aromas of this vineyard, and this wine presents them with impeccable integration. To the palate, this Riserva remains open-knit, tightly structured and broad in scope."
97 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is absolutely stunning. Deep and statuesque in bearing, the 2016 captivates all the senses from start to finish. A whole range of Rionda aromatics soars out of the glass. Silky and yet powerful, gracious and yet full of gravitas, the 2016 captures all the contrasts that make Barolo such an alluring wine. Rose petal, lavender, red/purplish fruit, spice and new leather lend striking nuance to this hypnotic Barolo from Massolino.”
97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Cherry, strawberry, rose, iron and menthol flavors highlight this supple red. There's plenty of backbone, and woodsy notes chime in, but this is more about the expressive berry fruit and elegant side of Barolo, ending with a terrific finish. Nonetheless, this will require several years for the tannins to be absorbed. Best from 2025 through 2045.”
98 points, Brandon Sanderson, Wine Spectator
Region: Barolo, Piedmont
Variety: Nebbiolo
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2016
The Wine
A milestone vintage for a legendary Barolo
2016 marked the 35th release of Massolino’s Vigna Rionda—a wine long revered, yet never more profound than in this vintage. To honour its stature, Massolino introduced a new all-black label, reserved only for the finest years. Fermented naturally in large oak tini and aged 36 months in Stockinger botti, this is Vigna Rionda at its most complete: layered, powerful and deeply finessed. A benchmark release from a benchmark site.. The result is a darker, more structured expression of the cru, with savoury weight and complexity.
Cellared says
Rich and powerful, yet refined. This 2016 Riserva is dense, heavy dark fruited, herbal, and poised icon wine in the making. Super structured, yet perfectly balanced to evolve longer in cellar. A long term cellar addition this one.
Wine Reviews
"Tasting this Vigna Rionda is such a sensual experience, with the complexity you’d expect from the top-level Barolo, showing hints of iodine, dark mussels, walnuts, dark stones to the fleshy dark cherries and plums. Then it turns a little “bloody,” minty and tarry on the nose. “Dark” and full-bodied with a massive amount of small-grained tannins seamlessly knitting the fruit on the palate, driving it to a very long, mineral finish. Very tight and powerful now, yet seductively rich and full of flesh, too. Shows lots of potential ahead. Much better from 2025. It should hold well for the next 20+ years."
97 points, jamessuckling.com
“Packaged with a special black label, the Massolino 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is only released in the best vintages. Showing the power and the determination of Serralunga d'Alba, the wine is redolent of dried berry, lots of rusty earth and fragrant red rose. These are the typical aromas of this vineyard, and this wine presents them with impeccable integration. To the palate, this Riserva remains open-knit, tightly structured and broad in scope."
97 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is absolutely stunning. Deep and statuesque in bearing, the 2016 captivates all the senses from start to finish. A whole range of Rionda aromatics soars out of the glass. Silky and yet powerful, gracious and yet full of gravitas, the 2016 captures all the contrasts that make Barolo such an alluring wine. Rose petal, lavender, red/purplish fruit, spice and new leather lend striking nuance to this hypnotic Barolo from Massolino.”
97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Cherry, strawberry, rose, iron and menthol flavors highlight this supple red. There's plenty of backbone, and woodsy notes chime in, but this is more about the expressive berry fruit and elegant side of Barolo, ending with a terrific finish. Nonetheless, this will require several years for the tannins to be absorbed. Best from 2025 through 2045.”
98 points, Brandon Sanderson, Wine Spectator
Region: Barolo, Piedmont
Variety: Nebbiolo
Country: Italy
Vintage: 2016
The Wine
A milestone vintage for a legendary Barolo
2016 marked the 35th release of Massolino’s Vigna Rionda—a wine long revered, yet never more profound than in this vintage. To honour its stature, Massolino introduced a new all-black label, reserved only for the finest years. Fermented naturally in large oak tini and aged 36 months in Stockinger botti, this is Vigna Rionda at its most complete: layered, powerful and deeply finessed. A benchmark release from a benchmark site.. The result is a darker, more structured expression of the cru, with savoury weight and complexity.
Cellared says
Rich and powerful, yet refined. This 2016 Riserva is dense, heavy dark fruited, herbal, and poised icon wine in the making. Super structured, yet perfectly balanced to evolve longer in cellar. A long term cellar addition this one.
Wine Reviews
"Tasting this Vigna Rionda is such a sensual experience, with the complexity you’d expect from the top-level Barolo, showing hints of iodine, dark mussels, walnuts, dark stones to the fleshy dark cherries and plums. Then it turns a little “bloody,” minty and tarry on the nose. “Dark” and full-bodied with a massive amount of small-grained tannins seamlessly knitting the fruit on the palate, driving it to a very long, mineral finish. Very tight and powerful now, yet seductively rich and full of flesh, too. Shows lots of potential ahead. Much better from 2025. It should hold well for the next 20+ years."
97 points, jamessuckling.com
“Packaged with a special black label, the Massolino 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is only released in the best vintages. Showing the power and the determination of Serralunga d'Alba, the wine is redolent of dried berry, lots of rusty earth and fragrant red rose. These are the typical aromas of this vineyard, and this wine presents them with impeccable integration. To the palate, this Riserva remains open-knit, tightly structured and broad in scope."
97 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
“The 2016 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda is absolutely stunning. Deep and statuesque in bearing, the 2016 captivates all the senses from start to finish. A whole range of Rionda aromatics soars out of the glass. Silky and yet powerful, gracious and yet full of gravitas, the 2016 captures all the contrasts that make Barolo such an alluring wine. Rose petal, lavender, red/purplish fruit, spice and new leather lend striking nuance to this hypnotic Barolo from Massolino.”
97 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“Cherry, strawberry, rose, iron and menthol flavors highlight this supple red. There's plenty of backbone, and woodsy notes chime in, but this is more about the expressive berry fruit and elegant side of Barolo, ending with a terrific finish. Nonetheless, this will require several years for the tannins to be absorbed. Best from 2025 through 2045.”
98 points, Brandon Sanderson, Wine Spectator
